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The Cosmic Clues Reviewed

When I first heard of this book, I had no idea what to
expect. The Cosmic Clues by Manjiri Prabhu is indeed a one of a kind genre of
novels. As the cover page claims, it is the first Indian book about an “astro-detective”.
Being one of those who don’t believe in Fate, Destiny & the stars, I admit
being perplexed with the idea of an investigator who works with astrology. The combination
was indeed worth a shot & though I still didn't ‘get it’, it can be safely
regarded as a good one-time read.

Sonia Samarth is an intelligent lady with a Masters in
criminal psychology. Perfect qualifications to start off a career in solving
crime one would say. The only catch? She is also a student of Vedic astrology
& insists on putting it into practical use when solving crimes. No wonder
her agency Stellar Investigations receives a lot of requests to read horoscopes
rather than mysteries & calls for help.

Everything changes when a cat decides to enter their office
& stay put. Her first investigation-to find the cat’s owner triggers off a
series of cases which make up the rest of the book & that ironically end
with her finally meeting the owner! Paired with an over-enthusiastic assistant Jatin,
Sonia sets out solving cases with the help of a sharp mind & of course by
reading the horoscopes of those involved.

What initially started off more like a Famous Five/Secret
Seven kind of book, finally picked up pace somewhere after the second case. The
narrative appears to lag a bit with great emphasis being laid on how astrology
isn’t the absolute solution, rather a guide to it. Since this is the first of
an astro-detective series, one can understand the author’s attempts at
justifying this field of science, but then it gets a tad too much at times. I
can’t complain about the bits & pieces about Pune thrown into the
narrative. They create quite a beautiful imagery & make my wish to visit
the city only stronger.

The cases mentioned here sans the initial ones are quite
interesting, not to mention diverse. Each mystery has the probable suspects
& climax. Even with the astrological jargon involved, the plot remains
tight & one can really enjoy the suspense.

The Cosmic Clues is the first of the Stellar Investigations
series & though am not exactly holding my breath for the sequel titled The Astral
Alibi, I cannot ignore the curiosity I have as to what happens next. The plus
points of this book lie in the unique concept & the good narrative Any fans
of astrology would definitely rate this book higher, but I’d only suggest it
for a casual read. It’s not a racy page-turner but it doesn’t tend to bore
either. An average 2/5 rating from me.

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